


Desperate Measures

by MyRegardstotheReader



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Epic Tale, I don't hold back on anything, Magic, Multi, Ouch, Smut, Tears
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-03-26 17:16:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3858541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyRegardstotheReader/pseuds/MyRegardstotheReader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with just the death of one dragon. With his death comes a domino effect of unfortunate events that drive Grey to desperation. With powers she doesn't fully understand, and a past that is locked in her head, she fights monsters, men, and even others like her to find who is behind it all. Unable to trust anyone truly, and with just her Ice-bear and Sigrid at her side, she digs into the mystery behind a kidnapped dragon, cities burnt to the ground, a woman with no face. Worst of all... her feelings for the elvenking, when even his heart grows too dark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Desperation

**Author's Note:**

> Druid powers and the such are based off of classic DnD druids. Now I know Tolkien didn't have druids, and that is explained completely by the end of the work. Also, this starts right before Smaug hits in the first chapter, but in the second, it is right before Thranduil arrives at the battle of five armies. This story is now only located on my fanfiction account and on here, soon I'll be transitioning it to just here.

“Bard, stop this foolishness and listen to me!” The male turned from his son and looked at the girl in the cloak. She stood as tall as she could, despite being only a half head shorter than Bard himself. Her silvery hair fell down in waves across her shoulder and cascaded behind her. He frowned deeply as her steel eyes set on his own and she stomped her foot harder against his flooring.

“Would I risk coming back just to waste your time? Would I risk your children over useless information?” She scowled with a darkness that Bard had not seen on her face in quite some time. With a sigh, he shooed away his children. Individually they hugged the woman around her hip and sounded their welcomes to her before ushering towards the back of the home. Slipping down into the stool across from Bard, across from his table, she folded her hands on the splintered wood and looked him in the eyes. 

“Alright Grey, I’ll hear you out. I had just hoped for once you would risk this to just see us. It has been years since Bain has seen you, and Sigrid has spoken too often of how she wishes to come with you… to the icelands.” Bard spoke the last part with a bit of sadness. Grey downcast her eyes as she looked upon the darkened wood below her hands and wrists. How the years had worn the wood to rot, she would have to show the boy how to make a steady table soon. Maybe steal the entire family for a day and bring them to the local ashwood just north of the lake-town. The wood was good for years. 

“I had not meant for her to be so keen with my life Bard, but you know the girl wishes to be less of a burden. Tilda will make a good housewife, but Sigrid is much too curious for her own good.” Grey spoke softly as she looked up to Bard. He cocked a brow towards her before he motioned with his hands for her to continue. “War is coming.” Grey spoke. 

Bard furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?” He questioned with a thick voice. 

“Orcs come this way, they are on the hunt for something and will slaughter all in their way. I don’t know what they hunt for, but Mither smelt Orcs on the wind, and I’ve even seen a white orc move his army towards the mountain.” Bard pushed back from the table to look at Grey.

“Orcs don’t come this north, they dare not awaken the dragon.” Bard murmured.

“Orcs are not intelligent, but they are determined. If their hunting something this way, it may be in order to claim the mountain.” Grey pushed harder as she clenched her hands tightly together. Grey needed to warn Bard, for she knew if anyone could motivate the humans to survive, it would be him. He was not the master of this town, the master would only have her beheaded for even showing her face again. But Bard, he was a man of the people, they could listen to him. If they didn’t, she had done her duty to warn them. It was the only neutral solution.

If anyone were to wake the dragon and he were not killed on the spot, the whole world would die in the process. Nature would curl up in the ash of his destruction. For a smaller drake of the world, Smaug had the most terrible attitude towards the world that she had ever witnessed. Even as a child she knew it would be her mission in life to keep the dragon from destroying the nature and animals around. Which meant she had to save the humans. 

“What do you suggest?” Bard asked softly. Grey smiled and reached out to clasp his hands in hers. 

“Go out everyday, watch for the Orcs. Keep check of where they are. When you find they are too close, you will know what it is they are hunting. Keep it safe! The world around you depends on your town keeping whatever it is safe.” 

“And what if it does not want to be kept safe?” Bard asked. Grey nodded and chuckled.

“Then you have done all you can. But please, promise you will try.”

“If you promise me one thing.” Bard stated with a firm grasp of her hands now. With her palms inside his, he looked into her eyes. “I know it is only in your nature to be neutral. To stay as powerful as you are, you must stay neutral. But please, if anything happens to me, if anything happens to this town, you keep my children safe.” He begged. Grey had only seen him beg a few times in her lifetime. One of them had been to save even her own life.

“Bard. Old friend.” She teared lightly as she moved from the table and he rose to meet her. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and he let his head rest on her hair. “You have saved me many times. I promise your children will never see harm.” She whispered into his shoulder. Their embrace ended as she pulled away.

“Teach Sigrid sword, she will do well with blades. And Bain the bow, he is my only boy, he must carry on the family way.” He added with a cheeky look in her direction. Grey swatted his shoulder before she nodded. “And make sure Tilda does not marry for nought, she must find a husband who loves her, I will come back from the dead to haunt you should she marry a thief or worse. Do you hear me Grey?” 

Grey rolled her eyes as she pulled her hood up over her hair, her smirk the only part he could see from her hood. “Don’t worry so much Bard… It’ll age your face and hair.” She joked and just as she appeared, she was gone with a swift flick of her cloak and out of the home. Bard sat down on his stool and looked out to the open door that she had exited from. With a sigh, he hung his head into his hands and attempted to rub the oncoming headache from his aching skull. 

“Papa?” He looked up to Sigrid as she walked out from the back of the home with a soft look. “You didn’t mean it did you. You’re not going to die, right?” She asked as her voice barely weighed an ounce in the air. It fell flat to the floor before her and Bard smiled softly to her. He motioned for her to come towards him. Child under his arms, he pressed a kiss to her scalp and shook his head.

“Don’t you worry child, as I know you always do. It is just in case.” His voice weighed even less than hers as she curled up more against him.

“Will Grey return soon?” She asked, her throat closing up at the idea of her father dying, and her family being ripped apart. Sigrid attempted to change the subject, because atleast wondering when their favorite aunt of a different blood line would return, always brought a smile to Bard’s face. 

“I do not know, Grey is a free spirit you know.” He added with a chuckle, “But she has always promised to return to teach you, when you’re ready my dear. Now go check on your siblings, I fear they have been too quiet for too long.” for a pack of quiet children, is a bad thing. Bard then turned his eyes to the door as his daughter left his side. Grey had been raised beside them, but their lives were drastically different, as he knew they would be. 

Bard didn’t know how much he would change Grey’s life, or how he would shape her future after the war she spoke of. He didn’t know he would be the reason that she met Thranduil, or the reason that she would become the one known as the Frost Queen.

Because in times like those that would pass, Desperate Measures were a necessity.


	2. Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grey may have made some enemies prior to this war, and she fears she will only make more as she is told that she must fight in a war. Then if she is to survive that war, she is to help Rasput do the one thing he doesn't deserve...raise a new dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own any of the Hobbit or LOTR material. But Grey, the druid line and plot line are all of my creation.

Chapter one: Enemies

“Don’t you even dare speak it Grey.” Bard hissed as he marched through the broken stones of Dale, as the rest of his people searched for homes and relaxation from what could come. 

“I was not going to speak a word.” Grey spoke softly as she followed him, hood still up. The master of Laketown still hated her, she knew that much. The last thing she needed was him to ruin what little safety Bard had at the moment for her… again. Grey slipped around a shattered pillar to round in front of Bard. Wherever he could be, she did not intend to be seen. Though she believe he was dead, best not to look a beast in the mouth, and all that jazz.

“But you were! Do not lie to my face Grey. You were going to tell me, you told me as such.” He growled, fury still over his face. He stared at her as she stared right back. In a stalemate, their eyes narrowed. Grey crossed her arms over her chest, the cloak opened around her wrists to reveal her hands and wrists. That’s when Bard saw the scorch marks along her hands. 

Pink skin the shape of a lashing, but thicker and darker, those were not whippings. Fire had licked her skin. Had tasted and eaten her flesh, had she not been able to heal Bard knew that she would not look as pulled together or in control as she did.

“What are those?” He added darkly.

“Hands Bard, I do believe you have two as well.” She snorted back with a cock of her head, her hooded cloak shifted to show her face. There as well, healing scars. As the seconds continued, she was healing. 

“You are injured.” Bard cocked a brow. 

“The injuries will be gone momentarily, I just need some time.” She murmured. 

“What did you do, grab the dragon by hand?” Grey rolled her eyes, not that Bard could see from her thick silver cloak. Finally pulling it back to her hair line, she cocked a brow at him.

“I grabbed a few children from the fire that engulfed the town. I tried to bring them from danger.” She spoke as she sighed and looked down to the stone below her feet. Bard could see the definite nervousness in her body. Humans were not her best area of communications. Give her a snowy forest, give her a pack of bears with fur as white as snow, give her anything but another person, and she was the kindest person in the world. But Bard watched for years as people pushed and rejected her for what she was.

An orphan, a stranger, an unknown. Her past still locked away in her head, from before she lived with Bard in their tiny home above the water, and no one would let her live it down. Except for Bard who knew what it was like to be shoved out and hated by those around you. 

“I’m sorry. I know it is not in your blood to save strangers.” He whispered as she shook her head. The sun was a beautiful reminder that they had survived. A dragon, a fire drake from the north had attempted to rid the world of the people of lake town. Bard counted his blessings where he could as his eyes caught sight of the lonely mountain behind Dale. How the sun lit it up, as if nature was happy that the mountain was too....free!

“Smaug destroying the earth is not in my blood. If i must save a few humans, then I must.” She spoke as if it were a dull part of life. But Bard knew differently. She turned and walked towards the square. 

“Grey! You spoke of war… what Smaug did was not war.” Bard stated, and Grey turned back towards him as she let her hood fall all the way back. 

“Maybe I-” But the shrill screams of happy children swarmed her and her attention was turned to Sigrid and Tilda who rushed at her. Bard smiled broadly as he saw his children swarm Grey with their hugs and kisses and affection. She leaned against a pillar and seemed to relax, to melt into their love as they spoke of the intense world before them. How the Orcs had attacked, and how elves had saved the dwarfs, and how they escaped the dragon. Their story was intense and Grey was wrapped up in their story that neither of them noticed the large elk that had entered the city. That was, until it was upon them and Bard stepped back. 

Grey instantly stood up from the girls and ushered them away, Bard witnessed her hand rush to her side, from inside her cloak. But when she looked to Bard, the look in his eyes was not to attack, and she held as such for him. Like a watch dog, ready to strike, her eyes were narrowed on the elf that road in like a king. Because he was. 

“My Lord Thranduil, we had not expected to see you.” Bard seemed to smile, almost as if a wince, but Grey cocked a brow.

“Mirkwood…” She mumbled more to herself before she took a few calm steps towards the elf. It seemed as if they brought aid, the other elves, the soldiers were handing out food, water, blankets. The girls rushed to help them hand it out, but Grey held fast. She was neither a nurturing mother, nor a loving daughter, her strengths lie just below her cloak, where silver and pearl sparkled in her hand. 

She had missed what Bard and the Elf spoke, but as she approached, and finally stood to Bard’s right, she found that she had been noticed. Other elves seemed to turn and look at her, and she scowled. 

“Grey, this is Lord Thranduil.” Bard attempted an introduction. 

“Starlight, won’t you come assist us?” Bain called out, his eyes focused on the nervous Grey just beside his father. 

“I am fine where I am, Young Bain. Please, assist your sisters.” She called back before she looked to the elven king. 

“Starlight?” The near white haired elven king asked.

“It’s a… clan name.” She stated as she stood up straighter. That’s when she looked to Bard. He held bated breath on her account. Her surname was always questionable, and a sore subject to the female. “Well, no use attempting to hide now. I am all but exposed.” She groaned and with a flick of her hand, her cloak unclipped and she held out an arm for it. Her hair finally set free, it fell in it’s long silvery, loose curls down her shoulders and along the back side of her ribs. 

“Your… wounds.” Bard looked to her hands and found they were healed once more. 

“My healing has grown bounds Bard, since we last battled side by side.” She teased him with a wink. Only to pat her cloak down, she turned to the stone behind them and sat it down gently. A falchion hung from her waist along a chained belt of sorts that fit just right at an angle on her hips. Shorter than Bard, her upper arms showed years of use from use of the sword, and her thighs were muscular from riding a beast, of which was not around her. A sleeveless dress that allowed for a freestyle of fighting, but without being longer than mid thigh, with a sort of trouser underneath that was cut just below the dress length, the sides of which held two daggers. 

“I have never heard of a clan of human’s named Starlight.” Thranduil smirked, his thick brows raised in question. 

“We’re not all human,” She added as placed her hands on her hips. 

“Oh, than what breed do you hold?” Bard put up his hands as if to force the king not to ask. But a large growl answered for the three of them. Bard jumped in his flesh, but Grey lit up with happiness as she turned to the beast that came galloping towards her. 

“Mither! There you are, you massive fool!” She shouted happily as the large white bear came to a halt before her. Larger than even the elk beside the elven king, Mither the white bear pushed up his coal black nose to the air and inhaled deeply. “Yes, Elves from the woods, now what news do you hold.” 

Thranduil turned with an intense look to Bard. “She speaks to the beast?”

Bard winced slightly with a chuckle at the woman before them both. “She’s… a special kind of person.” He attempted to explain the woman as she rubbed the bear under its chin. Then in a swift movement, she was around and up onto the shoulders of the bear. Up on it’s coal black paws, it’s white hair covering everything but the black claws, she looked to the men before her. 

“I shall return, Mither speaks of something I must witness for myself.” She spoke. Bard grasped her cloak, but she shook her head. “Keep it, have Tilda mend the ripped edges for me… where I go, they will see me coming.” And with then she kicked the bear lightly under it’s arm and they were bound around and bolting towards the eastern edge of the city. 

Bard sighed, but turned towards his daughter either way. “Tilda!” He called for the youngest of his children. 

“Is she your wife?” Thranduil questioned the descendant of Lord Girion. 

“Grey?” Bard barked out a laugh as he shook his head. “No, skies above, she would run my worry and life right into the ground. Nay, Grey is like a sister of mine, if only she were born the same mother.” Bard watched as his daughter came up and took the cloak with her towards the pack of women already set on their way to fixing garments.

“She is a warrior then?” Thranduil inquired.

“She is…” Bard trailed off as he turned towards the city. “And more… But my lord, back to what you had said… how did I misconstrue your aid?” Bard asked, his eyebrow quirked to the elven king.

“I've come to claim what is rightfully mine.”

~'~'~'~'~

Grey road Mither for what felt like ages, only it was just sunset as they arrived at the stony edge. Other side of the Lonely mountain, along the edges of the mountainous terrain, she looked down to a red clothed individual that she knew all too personally. With a cocked brow, she slipped off Mither and patted his fur. “Stay here friend, you should stay back.”

Though the beast protested she go alone, she grabbed the handle of her sword and headed down towards the man who had called her here. Earth thick and rough beneath her boots, Grey had not been this way in quite some time.

“Rasput, what a pleasant surprise.” Grey called down to the male.

“Grey, lovely you could come.” He called up the mountain side, his eyes still narrowed and arms crossed. His brilliant red hair flared around his ears and up the sides of his face. No beard, just hair that spiked like the flames that built around him. Grey kept her distance. 

“You didn’t give me much of a choice, now did you.” With a deep scowl, she pulled out her falchion to her hand. Her hilt fit her hand just right, and within seconds, his great sword was out and pointed at her. 

“Smaug is dead,” and with that, Grey had her blade out and ready as he stepped at her. Grey was no fool. Rasputin intended to blame her for the dragons death. He had always hated her.

“Your greedy beast is gone, do you mourn for a drake you could never control!” Grey snarled, and with a clash of blades, she bound backwards from the advancing man. Thrice her size, large in arms and thighs, he was dressed in black and red armor, that would depict fire and ash together. But his attacks were with steel, dragon steel, for his sword was smelted with a dragon scale at it’s core, and the scale and metal mixed to perfection. His blade would never snap. Grey steadied her agile feet as she looked up to the red haired male before her. 

“He was mine! We had an oath, and he was mine!” Rasput crashed his weapon against Grey’s, unable to see as Grey swung her leg to hook his own. Down into his own mountain depths, she flew over him in a leap only to spin as she hit the ground, her sword aiming for his throat. He blocked with his armor clad arm and shot out from her reach. His sword back in hand, he stood up once more. 

“We swore an oath to protect the earth with our chosens!” Grey reminded him, a dark look upon her face. “Not destroy it!” 

“STOP THIS!” The two snapped back, their swords dropped to the ground, but their faces still held deep glares. Grey turned towards the green clad woman that approached.

“Grechilin.” Grey knelt down, only to shoot a look to Rasput, who then knelt much to his chagrin. He was not nearly as pleased with the green clad elf approaching them. She seemed to transform before them, as she slowly swept off the brilliant white horse twice the size of her or even Mither. A sigh passed Grey’s lips as she brushed her starlight hair behind her shoulders and stood up. Grechilin stood before them with her soft, small hands folded at her waist line. 

A gown that only a elven queen should wear fell around her like air, it wiped around her soft frame, green and white colored, with golden trim and jewelry that brought out the brilliant jade of her iris’. 

“I came as soon as I felt Smaug’s life pass.” She spoke softly, her eyes turned to Rasput who refused to stand. Sulking, clearly. Grey rolled her eyes but then turned to look as the woman before them.

“He finds fault in my hands for taking Smaug’s life.” Grey’s cold words bit like ice on the flesh. Rasput was back up on his feet, his hands reached out to strike her, but Grechilin stood between them. She swatted the red clad male’s hand and glowered at him darkly. 

“She was behind this! You know it, Lady Grechilin.” He growled but Grey only rolled her eyes once more.

“Keep that up, and your eyes will roll right out of your skull, Grey.” Grechilin warned and the steel eyed girl hung her head slightly. “But Grey did not murder your chosen. She kept to her oath, that she would never harm someone else’s chosen. It was a human named Bard, the rightful king of Dale that took Smaug’s life.” Grey’s lips turned in a smirk. That smirk fell as Grechilin swatted her elbow. The elven woman turned on her heels swiftly, her hand waved towards Mither. Grey instantly engaged, she looked to the woman, then looked to her bear that came when beckoned. Fear filled her belly for what Grechilin may do to her chosen. 

Mither had been a clear choice. As Grey looked over the northern icelands, Mither was the largest and smartest of his ice-bear brethren. She raised him at her hip, she raised him to be kind but strong, and he never picked a fight, but the bear would end one. He was even trained to wear war armor, should they ever ride into battle, which had happened a few times. She should have forced Mither to wear it here, but it would slow her favorite beast down and she wanted to get this over quickly.

Rasput was a rash, fiery spirit. His powers were more intense the harsher he felt his emotions. Unable to contain himself, she knew he would instantly blame her for his fire drake’s death. Rasput had set fire to one of her snowy outposts, seal blubber was the main resident of that outpost. The smell of burning seal blubber was something Mither could smell for miles. Not only that, but magic fire burnt harsher, thicker, and it’s musk was much darker. Laced with anger. 

“Becoming unbalanced as you have, Rasput, is the reason you are not as strong today. Grey is just toying with you. At your purity level, even a lizard could squish you. Pull yourself back together, Rasput.” Grechilin’s warning was not to be ignored. Grey turned to look at the red haired male as he inhaled slowly. Black smoke billowed out from his nose as he calmed himself, his bones. Emotional turmoil like that was going to certainly tear him from his neutral center. Grey could feel it the second she stepped onto the mountain. Of course Grechilin could feel it. As their superior, she would always know when her underlings were no longer at center. 

“Smaug did not have to die, he was not necessary.” Rasput growled as he pulled himself back to center. Mither reached Grechilin’s hand, and she ran her fingers through the white hair of the beast, a smile finally on the elf’s face. 

“You are right, Smaug did not have to die. But he had taken more than his life was worth, he tipped the scale. The reason we have chosens, Rasput, is to keep the scale at center. You know the rules.” Grechilin turned back to him. “Grey, take Mither and go back to your humans. They are in need of your powers and assistance. Your report to me was correct. Orc’s approach, and they will need your hand to guide nature back to neutral once more.” 

Grey bowed thankful for the kindness that Grechilin had shown. Taking the chance she had to snatch her sword, she put it back on her belt and grabbed onto Mither. They had a full night of riding to do if they were going to get there before something happened to the humans. 

“Thank you, Lady Grechilin.” She spoke. 

“Don’t thank me just yet, Grey… someone will have to answer for Rasput’s dead chosen, and he will have to raise another. As you were in hand with the destruction… when your humans are back to balanced… you will return to assist Rasput.”  
Grey looked to the red haired man. With an exhale out her nose, she nodded and pushed up onto Mither’s shoulders. From here she could see the fires of lava, the way the mountains puffed smoke. Rasput would need a new fire drake to replace his long since spoiled dragon. Though, this way, her punishment would also ensure that Rasput did not raise another death drake. It was a punishment for them both. Grechilin had allowed Rasput to keep his chosen, for right after his attack on the Lonely Mountain, he had slept still for years. Rasput’s mountain terrain was calm and peaceful, for the time being. 

They could do nothing.

It was their law to never leave true neutral. 

“Then I shall return.” She spoke softly, her hand rubbed the fur ontop of Mither’s scalp. 

“I await your return.” Rasput stated back, just as softly, but less kind.

“Good, I will keep a close watch on the two of you. Fate holds surprises for the two of you, I can feel it.” Grechilin watched as Grey turned Mither from the two and they bound away. It felt like ages before she was out of sight of the elf and the man. As their superior, Grechilin had the power to tell her what to do as such, and she would do it. For what she would do if Grey did not obey was far worse than death itself. 

Grey held onto Mither for dear life as they rode through hot and cold winds. She could feel the electricity of worry on her flesh as they came around another bend. There was no doubt that war was on the horizon. If Grechilin told her to fight, then it must be something that would tip the scales on nature. Her throat was thick with an emotion she had not felt for a while. 

Fear for others. 

It had been far too long since she had battled anything that had her afraid for the life of others.


	3. Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grey is back in Dale, expecting to be late to the war. But infact, she is early and is surprised for a second time that day. That a certain elvenking might share her electric attraction.

Chapter two: Heart

It was almost nightfall when Grey was finally at Dale. Sigrid was there awaiting her with desperate eyes. Almost as if she couldn’t wait to see the silver haired woman again, like her life depended on seeing her soon. The girl bounced in her corseted gown and clung the cloak to her breast. Grey would know that brunette girl anywhere. Mither slowed down just enough for Grey to reach down and snatch the girl up in her arms. Sigrid squealed with delight as Grey pulled her up onto Mither and they continued at a walking pace on the back of the large, white beast. 

“Grey, where did you go?” Sigrid asked with a giant smile upon her face. Curious as always, the girl worried but also wondered. 

“I was off to the north,” She spoke with a smile, in attempt to satisfy the girl’s need for questions, but nothing that would return to her father. Bard would never forgive her if she revealed the whole reason she withheld from the battle with Smaug, and why she only rescued the humans. Smaug would have been an easier target with her assistance, and Bard knew this. But he had not asked why she was not fighting beside him, for he believed it was because she could not be neutral and assist him. It was best to keep it that way. 

“North… to your icelands?” Sigrid bubbled with her questions. 

“No, not quite, I would not have returned so fast, or left in my summer clothing if I were to go all the way home.” Grey laughed, before she patted Sigrid’s hands. “Think nothing of it child. Just another Starlight, who needed my urgent assistance.” Not a lie, just not the whole truth. Those she got away with far too often. Sigrid bounced lightly, Mither complained with a low whine that sounded like a growl. Sigrid rubbed his belly as an apology and motioned for the three of them to stop.

“Sigrid, will you be so kind as to feed Mither, he has a giant appetite after our ride.” After a day of being gone, she was happy to see that the town was just as she left it. Which also meant, more was to come. Worse was to come. Sigrid smiled and nodded, happy for the opportunity to care for Mither. Since he was a cub, Sigrid loved the white beast just as much as Grey did. She kissed and lead the bear through the city towards the water side. Not that she really had to feed the bear. Mither would go out for his own food, but Sigrid liked to watch him hunt. Said he was a graceful swan in the water, and even more magical than before. 

Grey followed the smells of food and the promise of warmth towards a large clothed tent, of elven design. Must be where Thranduil kept himself. Seemed a bit dirty for someone of his crown, but if the man ruled the forest, maybe he was not the kind to squeal away from dirt. She ducked into the tent, just as Bard was about to leave.

“GREY!” He embraced her happier than she had seen him since the entire dragon escapade. She embraced him back with vigor, her lips pulled into a smile as she felt him clasp onto her. Though he did not linger long. Embraces and showing of affection was always a hard thing for her. Always flinching away from such grand displays of love, she felt awkward to hold onto someone. Grey inhaled the smell of fresh linen and smoked food. With his release of her, she walked around him into the tent. “When did you arrive?”

“Just moments ago, Sigrid met me at the edge of the city.” He sighed at his daughter’s reckless behavior. Grey patted his shoulder, as if to apologize for being the reason she was so reckless, only to stop as she saw Thranduil sitting there at the front of the tent. He cocked his thick brows in her direction, and she was reminded that she had promised to return. But they would want answers for her sudden disappearance.

“The Starlight clan was having a...a disagreement over Smaug’s death.” She stated to Bard who sighed, and fell into a chair. Thranduil motioned for her to sit at his table as well. She slipped down and accepted the plate of warm food that Bard put together from the spread that was set aside. 

“What do druid’s care about a dragon.” Bard scoffed. Grey took a bite into the bread and moaned at the happiness in her stomach. It had been far too long since she had eaten fresh bread. 

“Druids?” Thranduil inquired.

“Their clan, is of Druids.” Bard explained as Grey continued to munch on the crusty bread. “Let me guess, it upset the nature around us?” Grey shot him a dark glare. 

“No, there is more to it than that, but I can not discuss it with you. Bard you know why.” She spoke with a look that meant for him not to push the issue. He sighed, but left the issue be. He finally delved into the events that surrounded the lonely mountain. He spoke of Thorin and his band of Dwarves, and how they refused to pay what they said they would. Bard only wanted what he owed the village, for killing the dragon, to rebuild their city, but Thorin refused. 

“This, is exactly why I do not deal with dwarves.” She stated as she finished the smoked meat and vegetables that were available. Stomach finally full, she wiped her mouth with a cloth that Bard handed to her, and returned it. Bard snorted, only to shake his head.

“He will force us to go to war over something as ridiculous as gold.” Bard spoke as he stood. “I shall return in the morning, I’ve sent a letter to plead for his assistance, but I fear Thorin will refuse me yet again.” Bard turned to leave. Grey went to follow him out but there was a hand on her shoulder that stopped her. 

Shivers ran down her spine as she turned slowly to the male that stood above her head even more than Bard did. His form seemed to take her breath away as she attempted not to lean into his touch. It was something soothing, like a warm meal on a cold night, or a furry bear to cuddle up to in the ice. 

“I have mulled over in my mind for some time, in hopes to figure out why it is that your kind call each other starlight.” He leaned back against a wooden pillar that held the tent up. Secure and steady behind his back, she watched as the tent was closed and Bard was completely gone. A tingle in her underbelly stirred as she turned back to the elf. There was no nerves of attack as there had been before. Besides, her weapons were lain there on the ground near the bench where she had sat to eat. 

The warmth of a fresh fire lit up her insides as she turned to him. Was it just the way he stood, how tall he was and how she could see his slender form from under his cloth. Grey was not a celibate being, she had spared her pride for pleasure before. She couldn’t deny, there was something about him that made her want to press her body up against him. Maybe she ought to throw a few ideas his way. There was nothing wrong with harmless flirting. Besides… a king would never reciprocate. 

“Mostly because our skin looks like starlight, look.” She put out her hand and then with a breath from her lips, she shimmered. Her flesh glimmered in the air, and it seemed to glow underneath her air. Thranduil seemed intrigued as he took her arm carefully and blew on it himself. Grey smirked as his lips curled at how her skin seemed to shimmer like stars in the sky. “When you become a druid of a certain purity, your skin begins to shimmer like the stars. It is a sign to the nature around you that you are one. Some humans love the shimmer of diamonds, animals like the shimmer of the stars… it makes them feel safe in our hands.” 

Thranduil looked up from her flesh. “Purity?”

“Neutral purity, if our thoughts and actions are out of true neutral nature, we are pure. It is when we side one way or the other that we lose our purity.” She chuckled before she lightly took her arm back. She pushed her hair all the way back from her shoulders so it cascaded behind her as she looked up at him.

“Is it just your arms?” He asked with all the innocence she imagined a king would have.

“No, it’s everywhere,” as she lightly walked past him towards her weapons, as to collect her things, “I could show you where it shines brightest, if you’d like.” She threw over her shoulders as she grabbed her cloak. Just as she was about to throw it on, waiting for his ‘kings don’t do this’ or ‘kings don’t do that’ speech that would come. Only it didn't come. With the warmth of fire on her flesh, a hand ran along the inside of her arm, up onto the exposed shoulder blade. Grey gasped for air as he brushed her hair aside and she could feel his warmth up behind her. 

Grey didn’t know if her heart sang for him to slap her, call her a peasant, or for him to continue to touch her. The decision wasn’t up to her, for just as she had pressed to turn and face him, there was a softness on the crook of her neck. It was a kiss! Her insides flared up with girlish delight as she felt arms wrap around her and pull her back into his chest. Dragon’s breath upon her flesh, she could see the glimmer of her collar bone in her peripheral. 

“I’d enjoy that, very much.” His voice was deep and husky and Grey melted into his touch. Kisses trailed her flesh as she gripped onto his hands for support. There was one hand on her stomach that held her flesh up against him. But another one was behind her and it was magic. The tingle and electricity of magic that had the laces that held her dress just up against her skin were undone. It fell to her ankles and she was left exposed, save for the short trousers that stuck around her hips. His hands took quick work of those too and it felt as if the icy air around them dimmed the candles as well. The light was intimate as she was twirled around to face him. 

Hair held in long delicate fingers, she looked up through her steel colored eyelashes at the elf king. He guided her back towards his miniature throne that he had sat at. Then with her pushed down onto it, his exterior cloth seemed to peel away, He was left in what looked like cloth just thick enough to be considered trousers, that covered his legs.

There were two things that left Grey breathless as she sat there, displayed for him and sprawled along his chair. This was the first time a king had actually taken her to bed… of sorts. No king had even been between her legs, that was an accomplishment. But this wasn’t really a bed, now was it? The second was, no king had ever knelt before her. His eyes focused on hers, her chest heaved hard as she saw him kneel before her. A girl he had known less than a few moments, and here she was, bare as a babe on his make-shift throne and his lips were trailing kisses up her inner thigh. 

It almost made her want to speak out, but as his lips found their way to a more important muscle of her body, her head was pushed back against the metal and wood of his throne. His breath was against her inner thighs, and it was her mind that seemed to sparkle and blind her in pleasure. His kisses were one thing, but his tongue against her core, then against her clitoris was beyond what any man had done before. Fumbling hands against her yes, a few even loving enough to make her wet prior to. But Grey was the kind to rush into the bed, clothes nearly half off when she was ontop and riding them just as she had Mither, but… in a completely different sense. Grey liked to be in control with men, they were not the dominant figure in her life, and they never would be in her bed.

Hand forced open, her whip of control over her sex was gone as he gripped her thigh and pulled her core and body closer to him. He may be nose deep in her sex, but she could not tell him to stop, or turn this around. His hands demanded hers to do as he wanted. Delicate fingers flicked her nipples harshly, then soothed them with circular motions as his tongue dove into her entrance. A cry of pleasure fell from her lips and she could feel his chuckle. 

“Has no man ever seen all your starlight, as I am?” He snickered as he kissed her inner thigh. Grey opened her mouth as if to speak, but then he was back, tongue back inside her and she was left breathless and without an answer. 

One orgasm blew just moments into his torture and it was obvious he was pleased, as he lapped her up, and kissed even her belly as he came up from her sex. Grey was like dough, her body his to control. His hands pulled her up only to settle himself on the throne, his cloth like pants gone and she was pulled into his lap. Though he had not entered her, her sex was just left to settle above it so his cock was pressed against her rear.

“Bard says you are a snarky woman, but I have received nothing.” He smirked. A finger trailed up her belly towards her ribs. Grey looked down and watched his fingers trail up and down her body. 

“Well, My Lord.” She smirked as she flickered her eyes up to him, “You’re the first man to appreciate the shimmering. Most men don’t care for diamonds or starlight.” She added as she leaned forward. It was soft, it smelt of her sex, but his kiss and his lips felt warm and welcoming. He grinned into the kiss as she inhaled sharply through her nose and moved as if to let him in. Only his hands rested on her rear and kept her where she was.

“I do love starlight.” he broke the kiss and smirked at the confusion on her face. “But what has changed. I rode into Dale and you readied your blade to cut my throat out?” 

She smirked as she cocked her brow at him, her hands lightly played with his abdomen and the muscles that she felt there. “Don’t tell me that the king of elves was afraid of a little woman and her sharp kitchen knife.” She teased. He growled just as teasingly and claimed her face with a hand at her cheek and his lips over her. With his free hand on her hip, he moved her and entered her with a force she smirked at. 

Broken apart by a gasp for air, he lifted up into her, his one hand at her hips and the other on her shoulder blade. He controlled the pace and she was left riding at his demand. This was something entirely new for Grey, being on top of a man, but not being in control. His hips met her pelvic bone with intensity and she was lost for words as he claimed her lips against. The air between them chilled her flesh, but her insides burned with fire. It was great, for sex had always been brilliant, fantastic and a wonderful relaxation agent. 

Grey buried her hands in his white hair and ran her nails down his scalp and his back. His hiss of pain and pleasure was heard only in her ear as he bit at her flesh hard. So hard it should have drawn blood, only for the bruises he left, they healed just as fast as their bodies met. Grey clung to him desperately as she felt herself about to explode just again. He could feel her body clenching, he could feel her orgasm coming and gripped her close, pushed towards the edge of his throne, and gained twice the pressure and speed than before. As his angle changed, she cried out into his hair as she came undone around him. Her fingers were barely able to claw his flesh as he found his own release. A grunt or two that sounded more graceful than her own sounds came from him as she held onto him with the last of her strength. 

He held still, even slid back into his throne as they sat there a bundled mess of bodies and fluids for a moment. Greys breathing grew heavy with exhaustion. Not only riding Mither for two days, a fight that didn’t last very long, and now this, she felt sleep coming for her like death would a dying elder. 

“Come, sleep here with me, there is not a better place.” He smirked against her skin. 

“You just say that, so that you may keep blowing on my skin.” She teased half awake as she was. He moved her body with his own and she was barely able to keep her eyes open as she was laid on thick fur and even softer pillows of feathers. She could smell the elven cloth they were made from, as they wreaked of the man beside her, but of less sex and more just sleep and sweat. Grey smirked half asleep as she cracked one eye open for him. 

“You think so little of me.” He teased back, only to let his fingers brush her hair behind her shoulders and run down along her back. 

“I am not a stone you can collect, King of the forest.” She yawned, her eyes closing, and sleep taking her further into an abyss. 

“We’ll see about that.” He whispered as he blew softly on her forehead, just before he pressed a kiss to her shimmering skin.


	4. Chainmail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the normal awkwardness of the morning after... Only with a prideful king and a warrior... and theres a bear in there somewhere.

Chapter three: Chainmail

The morning came with a whole lot of things that surprised Grey. She awoke in a thick fur that covered her. For one thing, she never woke in fur's she didn't recall, she also never slept over. Her clothing was there beside her, along with weapons, and among a few other things. They were clean, they were folded, and they were offered without some sort of deal. There was not only clothing, but food. There were a small plate of fresh bread and fruit. But there was more. 

Thranduil sat up in a chair in the part of the tent that they had slept in, and he was still completely exposed. He sat on his throne, letter and maps spread out on a table to his right, but his eyes seemed to look past it all. Fingers poised and pushed together his brows knitted, he seemed serious and focused. He did not seem like he wanted to be disturbed, but when she moved in the furs, he seemed to wake up. Intense eyes looked to her and his lips quirked. 

“Sleep well?” He snarked at her and she rolled her eyes.

“I sleep better on sheer ice.” She retorted back and he nodded, but didn’t seem to believe her. He chuckled to himself as he looked back to the papers. 

“Go on, dress before Bard finds you bare in my tent.” He spoke softly as he stood as well and moved towards another part of the tent. Grey scrambled to put her pride and clothes back on her skin. What was with all the surprises, not only had he accepted her advance last night, but he… well… he more than surpassed her pleasures, but he was not living up to her normal expectations. She always woke before her lover, and she was always gone before they even realized they had spent the night together. Just as she slipped her blades into their holsters, a black nose poked under the tent.

A chuckle and a loving hand to the muzzle of Mither, she slipped out the tent with an apple in her mouth and quickly walked up along with Mither, as if she had never been in the tent in the first place. As if she had never been there, she held herself up tall and walked towards the town center. Mither nuzzled her hip hard with his face and she stopped to rub him for all he was worth. She pressed kisses to his massive forehead and leaned her own brows against his. A soothing warmth from his fur filled her as she opened her eyes to his black eyes, smiling at their curiosity and wonder. Only for Bard to call for her from across the stones.

“GREY!” It was more of a beckoning, and she rushed towards the spot. As she came upon him, she found Bain and Tilda at his heels. 

“There you are? We’ve been searching for you all night.” Bard stated with a curious glance her way. 

“Sigrid brought Mither back to our hut, but she couldn’t find you, so we slept with him.” Tilda bounced with excitement. Grey smiled and ruffled the girl’s hair.

“I bet he loved that.” She looked back to her beast who only seemed to yawn. He had no comment on the matter, and she chuckled. If only they could hear and speak with Mither like she could. That was the best part, Chosen’s could speak to their Druid no matter what they spoke. Granted, Smaug could actually speak to those around him. But Mither could only speak through his thoughts to Grey. Mither only stared at her, his question hung on her without it having to be spoken. Why the elven king, and she was left with a shrug. The answer was only because she had wanted to and there were really no consequences to it… that she foresaw at the moment.

“I won’t ask where you put yourself last night, I need your aid…” He looked down to the children, then over to Sigrid with a sigh. “I can not teach them myself. If war is to come, I do not want to leave them without aid.” 

Grey lit up like the sun that began to rise in the sky. “About time for you to allow this!” She brimmed as she looked to Sigrid. The girl looked about ready to explode with emotions, but let it bubble out in her bounces of excitement. Grey grasped the hands of Bain and of Sigrid, “Come children, I have waited with bated breath to teach you two how to fight. Tilda, come, I will teach you how to heal in the field.”

The children brimmed with excitement as Grey gathered the bow and sword that Bard had brought with him. Like a smuggler with a dark plan, she stole his children away towards the edges of the town and the lake side. 

~`~`~`~`~

Bard stood just inside the half-tent that was set up for a war council. It was just at sunset and he had not seen hide or hair of his children. But he knew Grey would keep them safe. Her words continued to eat at him. War was coming, even Thranduil spoke of war, so why was he on pins and needles. Thorin would give in! Would he not? A wise king would just pay his debts and rebuild his kingdom. That’s what they should do, but here they were, surrounded by elves ready to kill those around them. 

Gandalf and Thranduil were already at a worse for wear, their words buried into their bellies and they wore darkened expressions. The archers were given orders, shoot anything that moved… but what was going to move? Bard worried his fingers more and refused to eat. Only, that’s when he saw the brilliant white glow of fur under the last shimmers of the sun’s love. Mither came barreling back, all the children on his back, Grey at his shoulders. 

Bard sighed inwardly and bound up to his feet. She was back and found they were whole, despite exhausted and half dead by sleep, they were safe. Grey smirked as she swung off her mounted beast and bound down next to Bard. She put the weapons down and patted her bear. Gandalf seemed worried by her riding companion, but when she kissed the beast and whispered to it, he chuckled as the beast slipped down and fell asleep on the spot. The children rest against the bear and were gone to the world in only a moment. 

Grey then turned to Bard and embraced him with one arm, complimented by his one armed embrace as well. “As I promised, they are safe. Sigrid is extraordinary, she took to the blade very well. She will do well with a Rapier or a one handed sword. She will make most guardsmen run for the hills. But Bain… his bow skills are obviously inherit of his father and grandfather. You should be proud.” She brimmed before she nodded towards little Tilda. “Sweet Tilda saved a poor bird that had a broken wing. The creature will heal exceptionally thanks to her.” 

Bard smiled with exhaustion and thanks before he embraced her again, swift and fleeting, he knelt down and dusted off the dirt from their cheeks and kissed them all on their foreheads. She then turned to see those in the half open tent. She walked in and with electricity that sparked between her and Gandalf, she put out her hand.

“You must be the druid.” Gandalf spoke, as if he didn't believe his own words. Grey had learned to ignore it as she smiled to him as sweetly as she could manage. Not that he needed any sweetness. Then his eyes flickered to the bear. “He is a beautiful creature.”

“Thank you, Mither would enjoy the compliments if he were able to wake. Poor creature is exhausted. Chased children and birds for more hours than the day is long.” She chuckled as Gandalf shook her hand. “From your clothing and staff, you are a wizard?” 

“Gandalf… the gray.” He added with a mischievous chuckle.

“My name is Grey.” She patted his hand. Just as she turned to eat food, she almost came chest to chest with Thranduil. Her insides plummeted in surprise, but she looked up with a calm face to see him. 

“You left your cloak.” He stated point blank, but his face was twisted in tease. As if he would spill his knowledge to the lot of them if she only pushed him. He handed her the silvery cloth in his hands and she accepted it gracefully. “When you left in a rather large hurry.” He whispered more in her ear as he passed. Grey held still for a moment, only to pull the cloak on over her shoulder and clasp it. With it covering her exposed flesh, she grasped a fresh roll and bit into it.

“Gandalf, what brings you to Dale… what is left of it, I believe.” She asked with a cocked head in his direction. Not to miss the all too visible look that Thranduil gave her. Pride be damned, she had never hid her lovers from anyone. It would bother her naught if Bard had walked in on her bouncing on the king’s cock. She just attempted to save him the embarrassment of seeing her indulging in the… surroundings. The fire warm at her feet, she leaned against the wooden table and munched happily as the freshly baked bread. 

“I am here on the behalf of Thorin and his company.” Grey seemed taken aback, before she nodded. 

“Well, maybe you can knock some sense into them.” Grey answered him back and pushed off the table. She then walked right passed Thranduil and smirked up at him. “And a few others while you’re at it.” She bit into the roll greedily before she grabbed her sword and flashed it out.

“Where are you going?” Bard asked, “You’ve been out all day.”

“I’m going to go stand watch for Dwarves… or Orcs…” She called over her shoulder as she sauntered away from the tent and towards the edges of the city that faces the entrance to the dwarven hideaway. Bard sighed and shook his head.

Bread completely finished, she held onto her falchion tightly with her right hand and bound up the walls. She had little time for games of kings and wizards. She was just here to dissolve this war that was on it’s way and return to Rasput’s. He would throw a fit if she took too long, and Grechilin did not enjoy tardiness to a mission.


	5. War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle of five armies is now stocked with one more ice bear, and one more battle ready Druid. But can Grey keep her promise while in the heat of battle?

Chapter Four: War

It had happened like most things happened, in the matter of moments. Armor covered Mither from head to toe, his massive claws sharpened to kill. She had her weapon out and even wore her own armor. Frosted steel, made from the stones and metals buried deep in the frost, she was shimmering like her own star, her hair pulled up away from her face, spikes protruded from the leather strap on her scalp. The armor was light and agile like her, it ran across her stomach like a corset, along her thighs and even allowed her to grasp her daggers, and it ran up her arms like a sleeve fitted just to her body. Her boots were a tougher hide than any found around here and they were slick to allow her to fight as she always did. 

But it mattered little as the massive army of orcs descended down the side of the hill. She kicked Mither to signal to go and there was no hesitation. She slipped up onto his armor on her knees and barreled into the orcs with as much ice as she could mutter. Ice formed around their armor, weighed them down as she sank her sword into their necks. 

“Born of scum and anger, leave nature just as you were made… covered in blood.” She growled as it’s blood sprayed up and froze in the air. Sharp like knives made of the orc’s black blood rained over a pack of them. Mither howled and roared, his voice boomed around the crowd as he took them out with one paw, barreling into them as if a ram. 

An orc twice her size came barreling over Mither, but Grey whipped around and with a whistle, Mither rolled in his armor, flattening the orc into the ground. Back on his feet, Mither took the moment of shock over the orc next to him, to impale the festering thing by his claws. Bound over her bear, she lept into the howling pit of Orcs that rammed against elven shields and dwarven hammers. She sliced and diced as she went along. 

This was something Grey had always been good at. Something that she held in common with the warriors around her and not the people of Laketown. Despite being raised among the women and men of that town, she was a battle Druid. She was never meant to wash clothing and marry a boring man. The thrill she got as she watched a head of an orc fly from her arm and take out a small pack of Orcs, the electricity she enjoyed as she lit the air with frost and chill, it was more than a life that others held. It was more than the dirty life of some fish town maid. She wanted so much more.

A smile filled her face as she bolted towards more of her attackers. “MITHER! FOLLOW ME!” She called and with her arm out, she felt her chosen come under her hand. The catch on his armor filled her hands and she mounted him in mid run. Bound for the pit of the entire army, she held her sword ready when she saw a shimmering armor that came around her. A smirk on her face, she looked to the dwarf who ran along side her. 

“I love your pig.” She called out to the dwarf whose beard was half his size. With a roar of her own, she followed the dwarf and his battle pig into the plethora of orcs. 

Sigrid held her sword in her hand, her eyes bounced between the orcs that had come to the edge of the city. Tilda cried but held onto her tiny dagger as desperately as she could. Bain shot an arrow and cheered as it hit an orc straight in the chest. Sigrid followed the blow with her own and watched the orc fall with her blade embedded in it’s chest. She had tried to take it back, but the thing would not come out and more orcs were coming. 

“SIGRID, RETREAT!” Bain called out to his sister. Reminded of Grey’s words just that morning. If you know you will die, do not stand to fight if you can retreat to fight later. The three of them whipped from the spot and rushed back towards the city. The sound fighting filled the entirety of the world around them. Tilda cried out as she jumped around an orc reaching out for her. It had seemed like the elves would fight against the dwarves, but now everyone fought against the orcs and the whole world was in arms. 

Screams filled the children’s ears as they rushed towards the safety of the stone city. Sigrid snatched Tilda’s dagger just in time to plant it firmly in an orc’s skull, using the same momentum she did to plant it there to take it back. Swiveling around a corner, they ducked into a building. 

“Bain, the horn! Blow the horn!”

Bain yanked the small horn from his pocket and put it to his hands. A loud, piercing sound hit the air like an arrow shot from a long bow. It filled the air around them, and suddenly, the entire room was cascaded in light and ice. 

Tilda cried in happiness as Mither came barreling towards their building. He skittered to a stop on the ice, only to slid in next to them. He roared loud, and the ice shattered around them, allowing the children to clamber aboard his back. They were on and holding on for life as he bound through the stone city towards the center. Elves fought along side men as the children searched for sight of their father, of Grey, of anyone. 

They found Thranduil first. The elf whipped to them and exhaled softly. “You take them towards the tower, lock them inside, don’t let them out!” He demanded the beast and Mither didn’t have to be told twice. Only a glimpse allowed them to see Bard in a combat with an Orc twice his size. Grey was easily spotted as she seemed to fly down at a pack of Orcs. She even seemed to wave as she sliced through the orcs like one would bread and a sharp knife in hand. 

Grey fished herself through the pack of Orcs and headed back towards the city. Blade in hand, she spun in a wheel of death sort of fashion. Falchion took out atleast three Orcs, and she pushed the other off the bridge to the city with her last movement. 

What felt like ages was only moments in war. The orcs were over run on the city and they were in more numbers than they had been on the field of battle. Only, Grey stopped just inside the gates as she came upon an Elk she knew. Thranduil’s elk…. the creature was shot down and she felt the pain of a poor creature in need. She knelt down and pressed her hands to the neck of the poor creature. It was no longer breathing, she could not hear it’s heart beat. Her heart hurt as she closed her eyes. 

“You fought well, today.” She whispered and pressed both her hands to the elk’s hide, her fingers pressed to it’s thick skin. “You are allowed to rest, please, return to nature like you came… a wonderful light for all to see.”

Ice crept along the stone below her, and the frost began to kiss the hair of the beast below her. She could hear the steps behind her, but as she focused more on the beast before her, she could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing. Just as she felt the earth begin to take back the elk, she ripped around, sword out.

It clashed against metal. She came eye to eye with Bard, her sword just flashed before his face. 

“Did it suffer?” He asked, but she shook her head. With a sigh, she allowed a drop of tears and love to hit the ground. A small tree began to grow through the stone, from the center of the beast. As the tree grew to that of a seedling, the beast began to grow into it. 

“And it will be the first tree born of this tragedy.” She spoke softly before she stood and dusted off her knees. “Where are Mither and the children?”

“Safe as far as I can see, they are hidden with Mither in the stone building with the women and children. He has frozen the entirety of the building, they can’t get in.” Bard spoke and Grey nodded. She began towards the center of the city. 

“What do you want to do, king of dale?” She teased as she wiped her sword along the cloth on her legs. 

“I am not king.” He growled. She shot him a smirk, only to gain a growl from deep in his throat. “I have no idea, find me Gandalf, he knows more than I.” Grey nodded and took lead into the city. It was filled of more broken stones and chairs than before. With every Orc she met, the closer she was to finding Gandalf, and to saving this town. 

The sun was high in the sky, and the men rushed about, as they attempted to defend what was theirs. Orcs were all over the place, along with other bodies. Elves, humans, and a few dwarves littered the ground. Grey held fast as a few orcs charged her, but she was left with only orcs beside her feet, and the broken city before her. The stone buildings and ground before her had so much healing to do. 

If only she could stay to help, she could heal so much of it. 

But that would make her on their side. That would tip the balance scale of nature.   
So she kept on pushing, to clear the city and bright Mither back to her. This was not the only war she would fight.

~`~`~`~`~

“You’re leaving?” Sigrid whimpered as Grey nodded. “Take me with you.” She pleaded. Grey’s eyes flickered up to Bard. He looked as if his heart would rip right out of his heart. But Sigrid wanted it so badly, she looked between him and Grey.

“It is Bard’s decision.” Grey spoke softly. 

“Oh, Pa, please!” She begged with her hands clasped. Grey knew she would have to return more often now that Sigrid was intent on going with her. Bard knew this, and he also knew that Grey would need someone more human near her as well. With a sigh, he nodded and motioned for her to go. “OH PA!” She cried out and enclosed him in an embrace. 

Grey pet Mither with her arm and went back to the large chest that her cloak hid in. She was going to need it for the travel. “Go grab your things, say your goodbyes, I’ll be right here till you return.” Grey stated and the three of them left hugs on her, and Sigrid a promise to be back as soon as she could. With a sigh, she looked to Mither. 

“Sorry but you’re going to have to wear it for a bit, until we’re sure the orcs are gone.” She spoke and ruffled the fur she could. 

“So you are leaving.” Thranduil teased and Grey turned to him slowly. 

“Yes, as are you.” She added with a soft look. “I had believed you were leaving earlier but.. I’m pleased to hear you were here to aid the city longer in the war.” Thranduil cocked a brow at her. She could feel it, that urge and rush in her abdomen she felt that night in his tent again. As he approached, she looked up at him in need, but knowing she couldn’t fulfil that here or now. Not with what was on her shoulders yanking her this way and that. He smirked down at her, but this time, he didn’t even care to blow on her skin. Just his hand on her cheek, he looked her in the eye. 

“If you ever decide to visit my territory.” He whispered with more of a demand then a question.

“I know where to get the best night’s rest.” She teased as she pressed a kiss to his wrist. Then she pulled away. “Atleast, something close to a sheet of ice.” His chuckle lifted her spirits in the sky and she honestly hated that. Because his smug look on his face was disgusting and rubbed her along her insides. He had her wrapped around his finger and she couldn’t let him have that pleasure. No one could have control over a Druid, she would surely lose her purity if she did. 

“You are... not very fond of goodbyes, are you?” He asked with a quirked brow. 

“If I’m going to see you again?” She stated, she turned and found him breast to breast with her, “how is this a goodbye?” Breathless, she looked up at him. He smirked at her before he pulled away and walked back towards the elves. She watched him saunter away, before she inhaled desperately for the air that evaded her and attempted to quiet her heartbeat. The attraction to him was intense, and she would have to return… just to quench that thirst… 

But for now, she had more business to tend to. Just as her pack was full and strapped to the armor of her bear, Mither seemed agitated. He knew what was coming next, and turned to Grey with soft, concerned eyes. His words floated in her mind like pixie dust, and filled her ears as if they had come from his mouth. ‘we are taking the human to Rasput’s, she will have to know why.’

Grey put her forehead to his and inhaled slowly. “I will tell her once we are out of the city.” She spoke softly to the bear. “She has to know, but I can’t risk Bard knowing. He will refuse her to leave and cheat her of life.” The bear nodded against her and closed his eyes. Mither inhaled the slow breathes that Grey let out.

Then Mither’s words were thicker, more demanding. ‘What about the elven king’. She opened her eyes and cocked her brow to the beast before her. 

“He is nothing.” She whispered, “Just another lover I may call again once more should I feel the desire to do so.” Mither snorted, but nodded. Grey chuckled and swatted at the chest plate of Mither’s, before she turned to wait for Sigrid. The sun was rising on the east, and filling the world with it’s warmth. It set glitter to the stone around her, but it was yet diminished by the bodies that were discarded among the stones. Many seemed to move other bodies, and there were graves and burial rituals happening towards the beach. 

Her eyes turned to the large tree that grew just at the great brick entrance to the city and she smiled softly. As she had brushed her hair back to prepare for the trip, her cloak up onto her shoulders and hood about to go up, a elven soldier walked towards her. Grey shifted uncomfortably, before she looked the soldier in the eye.

Only he dropped to one knee and put out a box towards her. “From my King, and my kin, for your kindness and help…” He closed his eyes and she was unsure what to do. But when he flinched because she had not taken it, she sighed in aggravation and took the box. Could Thranduil not give this to her when he was over here, pissing on his territory like a dog in heat? 

The elf whipped around and Grey stuffed the wooden box into her pouch, resolved to care about it later when she was less confused and angry at the elven pompous man. What should she had expected, he was a king…

“Grey!” She looked up as she pulled her hood over her head. Sigrid came, a light pack on her back. Her skirts were gone now, she even wore pants, obviously her father’s but they would be stitched to fit her in no time. The girl looked too excited for words, as Grey grabbed her hand and hoisted the girl up onto Mither.

“Mither will have to wear his armor to one of my outposts, then we will continue on to where we are needed.” Grey explained, and Mither was up and bound towards the mountains. Their journey would be long, and it would be restless for the most part. Only, she knew Sigrid would be too excited and happy to much care for the first moon cycle atleast. 

Sigrid settled between Mither’s main armor plate along his massive shoulders and Grey, safe and sound in the niche of the armor. Mither was fast and took large bounds as he ran. The human felt her sack pressed into her pelvic bone to keep still, and the sword that she had fastened to Mither’s armor should she ever have to whip it out for a battle. 

As they bound towards the closet outpost for Grey to pack away Mither’s armor, one of the many pairs she had stashed around the world, she heard her bears complaints. It was time to tell Sigrid.

“Sigrid, we’re not actually going back to my home… not at first.” She spoke to the girl in her lap. 

“Oh! Are we doing some Druid mission?” She bounced lightly on the steel that covered Mither’s shoulders. Grey chuckled at the girl’s excitement. Pulling her closer in hopes to stop the bubbles in the girl’s movement, Grey turned Mither towards the outpost that was a good afternoon’s travel from the city of Dale and towards the north. The outpost was a large building that was built into the stone around the ends of the lonely mountain. 

“Yes of sorts, you will not understand for now, but once you’ve lived in my shoes for a bit longer my dear, you will understand.” Grey spoke. Sigrid turned in her seat to look at Grey. The steel eyed woman looked down at her before smiling softly and pressing a kiss into the brown hair of the girl. 

“It’s a long story, and we’ve got such a long road.” She added as she swung off her large bear’s back. “But first, let’s unload.”


	6. History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigrid finally learns the origin of Smaug the terrible. Too bad that it wasn't what Grey wanted, or Sigrid expected. Now faced with Rasput, the pair must keep up a lie that is all Sigrid's making, and Grey must now live with it. What was the lie? That Sigrid is infact Grey and Thranduil's daughter, and DEFINITELY not Bard the dragon slayers. Who would ever ...think that?

Chapter five: History

“Let me tell you a story. It starts a long time ago, when Elves and Dwarves were not such enemies, and when the earth was still young, nature was still unprotected.-

The world was soft, the earth was young and fresh and nothing had been built of stone just yet. Just warped and curved to fit the needs of those around it. Dwarves had just learned to carve rock, Elves lived in nature peacefully, and humans hunted and gathered from the edges of fields and forests. Out of this, an elven child was born with brilliant green eyes. She was born on the very earth’s flesh, her own covered in it’s dirt and her hair tickled by the grass. She was just as beautiful as she was gentle, even as a babe. No cries came from her as long as she touched the earth, or the trees, or the ground. Animals came for miles to see the newborn who was left to survive on the forest floor.

Raised among them, she learned to walk and talk and hold her head high. No elven city would accept her, and she was left to wonder the world with her powers she crafted herself. If anyone needed aid, she would be there for assistance, but she was never to pick a side. She kept her heart pure, only doing what was best for nature, and being a true neutral to those around her.

But one will grow lonely like that, to travel the world and never hold a home. So she chose a beast to walk along side her. She chose a fox that soon grew into the size of a man on all fours, and the creature was sly, agile, and honest to her only. She walked the earth with the beast for years, happy to have a companion. She made a vow that day to her magic and her companion. That no matter where she was born, or who she was reborn as, that she would always stay true to her pure heart, and her chosen would carry on with her, chosen by heart and not by beast.She would never harm or kill her chosen.Her powers of the earth would always depict her home. 

This woman was named Druidane, and she was known for her gifts and her compassion for the earth beneath her feet. Druidane gave birth to five children in her life, of all the places she’d been. The forest, the ocean’s edge, the mountainous terrain, the icelands, and the air fields of the west. Her children were powerful, and as long as they followed her vows and her practices, they would know magic as if it were a second tongue.

As the world grew old, Druidane passed to the land of the undying, but not before leaving her last will and strength with her first born. The one to pass on to be the superior. They were called Druids, as to carry on their mother’s name and as the world aged and the earth changed, the children were reborn and reborn into new names and faces, but still the same.

The new superior is a woman named Grechilin, and she is the green druid, she holds power in the forest and she rides a brilliant white stallion that stands taller than any elf or man. Grechilin has made a proclamation. That I am to go to assist another Druid, a sibling of the Starlights. My chosen is Mither, my ice bear who is stronger than any beast I’ve ever seen, except one.

Smaug the terrible, a fire drake of the north, was a Chosen of Rasput Starlight. The red Druid. His fire powers were the most intense and he chose a drake just as powerful and determined as he to be his chosen. The problem with a beast like Smaug being picked, is one’s Chosen is made even more powerful by the connection. Their powers are enhanced, their strength is thrice what it was before, and they also hold a contract… that no other Druid may harm the beast. Which is why we go to Rasput’s home in the fire terrain of the mountains now… for Smaug is dead and I must aid him in raising a new chosen.” The silence that Sigrid held as they traveled through the day and the setting sky. The world around them grew frosty with the night, but they were warm all the way to their bones. Starlight glittered along the skyline as the last spit of sunlight died behind the horizon. 

Sigrid turned slightly in her seat to look down at Grey’s flesh. It glimmered in the darkness around her, but she held her breath. It was the air that blew back Grey’s hood that turned Sigrid to look as best she could upon Grey’s face.

“He was a pet?” She whimpered with a shivering gasp for air. 

Grey pulled her cloak from her arms and slipped it around Sigrid. Her cloth and linen was not thick enough to keep her warm through the drafts of cold air from the Icelands. If they only turned right, they would be at the footsteps of Grey’s ice waste land. It was a frozen forest and then it was a ice wonderland to her. But to those who had no idea where to look, she had found many frozen bodies at the edge of her territory. 

They continued towards the western north, however, to where the mountains raged fire and lava into the skies when the earth bade them too. The ground trembled underneath them as they felt the gust of warm air over her skin. 

"He was as much a pet as Mither is a pet. Rasput chose him while he was but a hatchling." Grey explained with a soft look. Her hands gently lifted Sigrid from Mither’s back and assisted her in putting her on the ground. The girl turned to Grey who could not move in the gaze of someone so innocent to the world. This would be where Sigrid decided that she actually hated Grey, for choosing her powers and her clan over the village. Grey should have helped Bard, despite what she knew to be true. Turmoil ate her insides as the warrior druid swung her right leg over Mither and sat upon him as if he were a chair. But unable to accompany the girl on the ground till those innocent eyes no longer looked hurt.

“Why would he ever allow his chosen to turn so evil?” Sigrid finally spoke and Grey sighed with happiness and relief. She slid off her chosen and ruffled the thick white hair of the beast with her fingers. 

“Fire drakes are not a typical chosen, they are very nomadic, they refuse to take orders, and have the temperament of a volcanic eruption.” The druidic woman snickered as she pulled her sacks off the bear. “Mither, come back for us in exactly one month’s time. I will be right back at this spot, and don’t grow too fat on blubber and fish. You hear me, ice bear?” 

Sigrid placed a kiss to the bear’s crown before she continued to walk down the mountainous path. Grey could not afford Rasput to attempt to pay an eye for an eye for his forsaken dragon. So Mither would not be on Grey’s hip for atleast a full moons revelations. However, she could allow herself or Sigrid to be so close to Rasput for much longer than that. It would be just enough time for him to fully chose his companion and seal the connection with Grey’s assistance. This would also allow Sigrid time to learn sword from two of the greatest swordsmen Grey ever knew. One being herself… the other being the fire Druid of the mountains. 

“So we’re coming to help him pick another?” Sigrid picked up quickly. Grey was happy for the girl was intelligent. Sharp are a spike, maybe even sharper. Grey nodded as she tied the sacks over their shoulders and they continued down the path. It would be a good afternoon length of a walk, and she could deal with it. If she ran, she would surely kill Sigrid out of exhaustion. The girl had upper arm strength from having to lift heavy fish, heavy barrels, heavy babies, but she still had the legs of a girl. That would be the first fix. Anyone could have arms the size of Mither’s waist, but if they did not have legs to support them, they’d be sliced down the middle for sure. 

“Of sorts yes, it’s a little harder then picking a puppy to watch the house.” With a tease, Grey nudged the younger girl. The world around them was dry, and Grey felt the harsh heat on her her cheeks. Earth was dry and harsh, stone was everywhere. Lava would spray from the ground if the stone were not just as stubborn. Steady white and hazy grey stone marked their path as the mountains popped their ears. Higher than where their eyes could see, the glint of the sun’s warmth kissed the edges of the mountain. 

“He lives here?” Sigrid grimaced as she avoided a dried up tree. It looked dead, but Grey could feel by just letting her fingers trail around the limbs that it was very much alive. It was thriving and living in a world of stone and harsh fire, almost black grass glittered the ground. 

“Yes, he lives in this territory much like I do. It is home, it is where you’re responsible for the livelihood of the territory around it, but you are not chained to it. Much like myself, he travels all over. We are nomadic by nature…. some of us just do better staying in a home better than others.” Her explanation brought a face of nostalgia to the girl. To when she was but a girl, Grey was at their house for a whole year. She lived in the shadows of the town, she had Mither dive for fish and she explored the forest and waterfalls beyond the fishing village. Sigrid had been raised by Grey’s hip in her most impressionable age. 

Bard often complained how Sigrid would grow up to be like Grey, but the druid could see nothing wrong with it. She was a courageous woman, she believed she made good choices, she was fueled to take care of those and the world around her. That wasn’t a bad thing? Grey’s eyes looked up to where the sun began to descend behind the mountain’s mighty face. The world seemed to bloom in the lack of the sun, as the trees that once looked dried and dead began to bloom every so slightly.

The heat of the mountains lessened and the stars glittered in the gold of the setting sun. Air licked down the sides of the mountains and brushed the girl’s skin. Frigid air, from the Icelands that Grey called home. The grass seemed to glow ever so slightly, and as the sun set further, it grew brighter. In the night, the world around them was a brilliant, loving place.

The trees released giant pink and purple flowers that smelt of fresh waterfalls and the scent of roses in the garden of a fat family. Rich, full of life, the mountains bloomed in the cooling air and earth. Flowers seemed to rise from the dead and glow up to the stars.

Nighttime fell around them as Grey came around the last bend. There, down the valley, was Rasput’s hut. A larger end hut, but it was made of stone that could live through even a thousand licks from Lava. It could hold a child Dragon, or it could be wrapped around by an adult dragon with no pain to the building itself. Flowers and trees that littered the ground around it bloomed, but they did not glow. As there was a fire that danced from inside the house, and from the only window, Grey could see Rasput picking at his own fireplace. 

“Does he sense us?” Sigrid whispered, her voice barely weighed a feather as they descended the valley. 

“There is a possibility, but it is best to announce ourselves, just in case.” Grey stated. She put her hands up and with an exhale of air, a shot of ice burst from her flesh and splashed up against the window. It melted and sizzled instantly, and Rasput turned with a glare to the window. Sigrid still watched in absolute amazement at Grey’s magic as the red haired man flared up in the doorway.

“Must you?” He growled up to them. The pair of females began to descend. “ Who is this?”

Grey stopped her heart for a second as she looked to Sigrid. The girl could not be named as Bard’s children. Rasput would kill her on sight, especially after Grechilin told him that Bard had been the one to kill Smaug. A lie came to Grey’s lips before Sigrid could answer. “This is Sigrid, my daughter. I thought she ought to accompany me, as I will be here for a month’s time or the such.” Grey lied perfectly through her teeth.

Sigrid went to argue, but the look on Grey’s face was not to be argued with. “Right, mother says I can’t be left to my own devices yet.” Sigrid added with a sigh, much like a scolded child.

“Daughter? I … I had no idea you had a child, Grey…. so young?” He cocked a brow as the girl came up beside her. She could pass for her child, if Rasput didn’t put so much thought into it. “She does have your facial structure, but she’s far too pretty to have your frosty looks. Who was the father?” 

Druid’s didn’t marry. Only the superior had once married, the one before Grechilin had married and it was also Grechilin’s mother. Atleast, to Grey’s knowledge, she had no idea if Druid’s could marry. She hadn’t even known her own parents, and didn’t care much to know them. It was a dark abyss in her memories before Bard and the fishing town above the lake. 

“Thranduil.” Sigrid piped up with a smile. Grey shot the girl a look, but it was too late, the words were free and out around them. 

Rasput burst into hysterical laughter. “THE ELVEN KING?” He held onto the door frame as he laughed harder. “Of course he would be the father. He’s like a sprite, pretty but angry nonetheless!” 

Grey rolled her eyes and pushed past him into the hut. She didn’t need this lie growing larger and worse. Sigrid grinned, pleased with her lie as she followed Grey inside. The elder woman shot the girl a warning look, for they would talk about her comment about the father. Grey could have said no one she could remember, or name a random name and say he was a human she met along the roads. But no, Sigrid chose the one elven king of mirkwood. What god had Grey angered to suffer this blow to her own pride?

“But it is of no concern of mine who you spread your legs for.” Rasput snorted as he passed the girls. “I do hope you teach the girl to do the opposite, and keep her own tightly shut.” 

Grey cocked a brow to Rasput’s words. “So it is fine for me to fuck who I may, but my child can not do as she pleases? Is she not my own flesh and blood? She came from between my legs, I will decide what is best for her.” Grey closed in the space between her and the large male with fire for hair. “And not through the opinions of men. If you dare open your mouth again to judge my parentage, shall I remind you of your own failings? Or was Smaug’s death enough of a wound to rub salt within it?”

The hut was open on the inside, save for the massive fireplace and a bed that perched itself against a wall, it was bare of anything. Even the stone below their feet was bare of anything. All dirt or hair was burnt to a crisp by the all devouring fire of a man before her. 

Sigrid held deathly still as Grey stood her ground. Two heads shorter than the human before her, without his armor he seemed less massive, but he was still built like a giant. Every inch of him was built to bury someone in the ground with one punch. He glared back, but turned from her stare and sat upon the one chair in the whole hut. Back to them, he threw up his hands in defeat. 

“Fine, do as you wish. I only require my new chosen from you.” He growled.

Grey sighed, and turned to Sigrid. “Unload the sacks, we start the hunt tomorrow.”


	7. Scorch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grey and Rasput must go find him a new dragon. But the mother of Smaug is still not over her child's death.

Chapter six: Scorch 

“Sigrid you stay here, and work on what I taught you. If you find yourself bored, run around the entirety of the valley,” Grey explained. Sigrid sighed but nodded. She grasped her wooden practicing sword and walked out of the hut. Grey followed her as Rasput went about putting on his armor. Their night was restless, but Grey could survive on little sleep, even if it hurt. She didn’t trust Rasput not to attempt to stab her just yet. Especially at night, in the safety of his own home. If they were going to find his chosen, however, he would have to learn to trust her. Or atleast… suffer through it in silence.

“Are you the most daft child there is.” Grey hissed as she grabbed Sigrid. The girl instantly erupted in a grin and giggle. “Thranduil? Why would you choose him as your father.” Grey whispered so their faces were close but their words were only audible to the two of them. There was enough space between her and the hut that Rasput could not hear either way.

“He is very kind to father, to us.” Sigrid spoke with a smile. “He offered to take father back with him if the town did not accept his right to the kingship of the town. Not that father would want that, he fears to become what the master of the lake became.” Sigrid explained. Grey pulled back as she cocked a brow to Sigrid. Did Thranduil truly offer something so kind?

“He did?” Grey asked, almost dumbfounded.

“Yes! He even practiced the bow with Bain the afternoon you were gone. You should have seen Bain’s face, he was in the god’s hands that day, he was right to soil himself he was so happy.” The brunette smiled. “He even let Tilda braid his hair. Though I had to undo what she did right after she fell asleep beside his chair. He is … soft to us. I know not why.” Grey eyed the girl. Unsure how to take the sudden revelation of the man she believed she knew. She had been right all along, she knew nothing of the man who sat on the throne.

Grey pushed the girl and fixed the sword in her hand. “Get to work, daughter.” Grey teased with a smile. Sigrid smiled brilliantly, and went about work with her sword. Sigrid knew Grey not as her mother, no woman could take that place in her heart. But Mother would have laughed to know Grey played the part of her for a month. Sigrid remembered few things of her mother, one was the laugh that she had. Grey once made the woman laugh so hard she peed, describing a bird of the ice lands that had it’s face stuck in an ice mound and Mither couldn’t find a way to release the creature without freaking out it’s own mother. 

Rasput finally left his hut, armor on and sword attached at his hip. Grey nodded to his motion for her to follow, leaving a pat on Sigrid’s arm. It would be a long afternoon before they returned. Grey left smoked and dried meats and bread in her pack encase Sigrid required food while they were gone. In her own armor, Grey followed down the stone path towards the largest mountain to the west, where it burned the hottest and the fire shone the brightest. 

The walk was long and hard, but neither spoke a word, and neither asked anything of the other. There was little here in the mountainous region that would invoke an attack. The creatures here were under the wing and protection of Rasput, and they knew that. So anyone who smelled of him was safe, which was good for Sigrid, for she wreaked of his home and his furs that they slept on. Grey, however, held her own shimmer, and protected herself from any creature or plant here. 

The entrance to the mountain was up the side of it, with a stone archway, carved by the drakes of the past. Ancalagon was said to be the dragon who lit the fires from within the mountains itself. This mountain was to be the breeding ground of dragons, but many have come to rid the world of their kind. Rasput had been just learning his craft and talents when he arrived just to save the mountain from the raids. Smaug was one of the only dragon’s left. Though it had been atleast a hundred years since then, Rasput knew that more dragons had been born in the fire.

Grey watched the stone sparkle from flames as they reached under the archway. Rasput finally turned to her and set his stern eyes on her. 

“I must birth a fire drake, so we will have to find an egg that will hatch within the month.” Grey nodded and followed him within, into the large abyss of smoke. Their pathway was almost as if diamond, the pressure of the air made the stone almost transparent. The glitter of the stone was almost attractive, if she couldn’t see the touch of flame and lava hundreds of feet below. One wrong step off the side of the pathway, and they would perish. 

It was the screech of a dragon that brought Grey’s eyes up from her steps. Wind gust around them and nearly blew Grey to her knees. Her hand gripped her falchion, the sword’s pearl and diamond encrusted hilt dug into her palm. 

_“Whooooo- approaches!”_ The hiss was feminine and Grey’s brows knitted in concentration through the burn of the haze. Eyes hurt but she had to keep her balance and eyes strained to see what was around them. Rasput turned to her and put his finger to his lips, before he turned and looked to the fire drake that landed feet from them. Her claws that took hold of the path shook the whole mountain. Long elegant wings, scaled in black and white color. Brilliant red eyes shone through the smoke as it began to clear. 

“Rasput approaches!” Rasput called up and looked up to the long neck of the mother dragon. Her claws screeched across the sheer stone as she lowered her neck down to them. Large eyes and teeth gleamed at Grey, than Rasput. 

_“Whaaaaa-t does Rassss-put want with my home?”_ She hissed with a disturbing smirk among her lips.

“I have come for my chosen. You agreed to give a child to me when I came for one.” He spoke directly, his voice never wavering. The dragon’s eyes turned to slits as her scaley nostrils flared.

 _“I gave you a child!”_ Her voice was shrill and full of offense. _“AND LOOK WHERE THAT GOT HIM. MY PRECIOUS SMAUG IS DEAD!”_

The news of Smaug’s death was just as fast as a plague. Grey kept silent as she stood tall before the dragon. It had to be Nikeas, the mother of Smaug, and a few other dragon’s that had plagued the earth. 

“Smaug was an independent child and attracted to gold. I mourn his death ever day.” Rasput spoke but the female dragon reared up. She was having none of his words or apologies. Grey readied herself for a fight she was unsure she could win. Her magic would only sizzle and falter here, in the dragon’s lair. 

“You did not tell me you wanted another child from the same mother.” Grey hissed through the smoke at Rasput. The mountain was massive on the inside, as Nikeas took up much of the room as it was. The ledges were thin and the mountain spiraled up in a maze of holes and niches. “You do not respect motherhood, do you!” Grey snapped more.

 _“The woman is more intelligent than you, Rasput.”_ Grey looked up from her fiery haired companion as the Dragon encroached on them. Twice the size of Smaug, she could wrap around the mountain twice and try to go for a third time. The dragon snatched up Rasput in one claw and lay her face just in front of Grey. _“Who are you, woman made of ssssss-steel and iron?”_

Grey looked to Raput who glowered in her direction. But she gritted her teeth and stood tall. Her feet planted flat against the path as she could, her shoulders thrown back. “I am Grey, a Druid here to aid you. Rasput is a terrible druid, he is reckless and full of turmoil. He continues to disappoint me with his purity of heart!” 

“TRAITOR!” Rasput snarled, but only struggled in vain of the dragon’s grip.

 _“You came to aid me? you… a…. wha-what are you, human?”_ The mother of Smaug hissed as she seemed to slither her neck around Grey. She neither faltered nor shied from the dragon’s eyes. 

“My blood line is not of concern. But Rasput, you should concern yourself with.” She yelled over the fired that roared in her ears. “He wants a chosen, but does not know yet why it should even matter. He wants a powerful chosen, but he does not deserve your best or brightest child. My lovely Nikeas…. Rasput is in need of your help. Because without Smaug, his territory, your home, will surely turn upside down. He needs a chosen who will lead him to purity, who will remind him why he is a Druid. We’re not here to take over and demand… we’re here to help, to aid, to serve the creatures and earth around us!”

Nikeas dropped Rasput straight onto the path. The man lunged towards Grey, as if to take her down, his sword was ready to be drawn. But there was a dragon egg put between Grey and Rasput. There in a massive black shell, like tar that caked the shelling but steamed as if it had just come from the fire. Which it probably had, as the mother of the dragons looked to Raput.

 _“You are to come here every full moon with my baby. I want to ssssss-see her often, I want her to be free to fly as she wishesssss-s, but you will not fill her with your greed. Ssssss-she will lead you back to where you ought to be.”_ Nikeas spoke deep from within her throat. Grey shot her grin to Rasput who looked at her with surprize. She had done it. With little fight with the dragon, Grey had convinced the dragon that Rasput needed her child. She had spoken naught as much as she could, but the look on Nikeas’s face spoke that Rasput would not talk back. He took his chance to put his hand to the shell.

On his knees, he put his hand to the shell and Grey smiled. The shell glowed, as if a fire was from within and illuminated the hatchling inside. The shell began to crack and Grey stepped back, her hands to her mouth as a birth was performed before her. Nikeas held fast as Rasput stared into the face of a dripping wet fire drake. A brilliantly black beast with red eyes that glowed like rubies. Grey broke into a small tearful expression as she knelt behind the broken shell.

“My name is Rasput.” He spoke softly, as he looked to the smaller drake. She wobbled, her thick paws much larger than she was. But the size of Tilda, she would grow bigger, as would her claws and paws. The scales glimmered and shimmered like black diamonds under a light. A marvelous beast as she stumbled to Rasput. Tumbled into his arms, she rolled onto her back, her wings finally out and feeling the air around her. Her claws reached up to touch him, her tail seemed to spark, and a flame extended from the tip of her tail. A candle in the wind, she seemed to smile up to him.

“You are a shining candle in the night. Can I name you Kerze?”

_“KERZE!”_

“I think she likes it.” 

~`~`~

“We’ve only been here a weeks time, Sigrid, it takes time to connect a chosen to their druid.” Grey spoke as she nudged the girl back up. Sigrid lay sprawled on the dusty earth, unable to move from their earlier practice. The whole week had flown by with fighting and practicing. Grey was a hard teacher, she demanded one grow fast and learn the same way. Rasput would be fighting if he wasn’t already struggling with a young hatchling. 

Kerze wanted to fly, but was unable to get both her wings to flap simultaneously. Rasput also had to sleep outside with the babe, to ensure she did not light the hut up in flames while they slept. She had the hiccup’s, do to the muscus from inside the shell still being in her lungs. Periodically she would sneeze or hiccup fire, and they went about putting it out. 

“I care not how long we’ve been here… it’s him.” She hissed. Sigrid looked up from her perch on the ground. Her chest heaved for air as she saw the red haired man. He seemed to look at her with a darkened glare, but when Grey made it seem as if she was not looking, she could see how he looked to Sigrid. Like a predator. 

Emotions turned in her stomach, sharp and full of acid as her eyes rested on Sigrid. “You will never be left alone with him, I promise.” Grey whispered softly. She took the young girl’s hand, “Don’t let him touch you…”

If the repulsive fire druid could think of even touching Sigrid, he would not get the chance. Protective of the girl that shared her life now, Grey pulled the sweaty youth to her. Arms wrapped around her, dusty earth that coated the exterior of her own arms,Grey put her face to Sigrid’s hairline and inhaled slowly.

“It’s weird, not having Papa with us.” Sigrid whispered to Grey’s shoulders as she rested in the niche of Grey’s body. 

“Yes, but he has much on his plate as it is. Running as king can make one stressed.” Grey spoke softly, curled up comfortably on the earth with the girl in her arms.

“So I take it that Thranduil is in her life, much.” Rasput spoke up, and the two jumped in their skin. He stood above them and found that he held the young Kerze in his arms. She crawled around him as if she were made of a quick wind. Her large paws and head were heavy on him, but the brilliant smile on the hatchling’s face was contagious.

“Oh yes, Whenever Mother can not take me with her, I’m with him.” Sigrid explained with a brilliant smile. Grey looked up to the dragon and opened her arms, to offer him relief. Thankful for her assistance, Rasput put the dragon into Grey’s arms and sighed with relief as he could sit upon the earth without the weight of a hatchling on him.

Grey was used to the weight of a thousand beasts on her while she rested or stood. She had carried Mither around for days when it was their connection time. The bear was a rather plump baby then. Kerze flopped on Grey’s belly as Sigrid ran her hands over the youthful scales of a young dragon. 

“I had no idea the elf could be paternal.” He spoke, and Grey noticed the hint of malice behind his words. Worry ate at her innards, but she stayed silent. She had no idea what he may have against Thranduil. But she did not want to know, atleast, not now.

“It is of no concern of you what I do with my child.” She spoke point blank, and Rasput set a dark glare her way, but kept silent. “Come on Sigrid, we should go bathe. Here, have your dragon back.”


	8. Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more about Rasput is found out, and Grey begins to suspect something is up, but can not figure it out. Bard visits Thranduil in Murkwood.

Chapter seven: Deep

“Half the month is up, we much be preparing to do the finalization ritual.” Grey spoke as she stood up from the food that Rasput and her were having over Kerze’s campfire. The baby dragon set a small bush on fire, and Grey turned it into a burning cooking station. Rasput looked up from his roasted beast and nodded.   
“We should do it tomorrow night. The stars will be bright at night and will connect us far better than it did with Smaug.” He added. Grey flickered her eyes up at him and studied him from over her food. Sigrid inside the hut, asleep finally rolled up in Grey’s cloak and a fur under her skull.   
Rasput had edged her the wrong way her whole existence. Since before Bard knew what Grey would be, when she was young but old enough to fight, she never liked Rasput. The years were long with Rasput, he was the second eldest of the clan, but he was never one she would have chosen. Then again… she wouldn’t have chosen herself either.   
But the way he would lean towards Sigrid, the way he seemed to go more vigorously in their training. How he offered her to take his bed while he slept outside. Grey didn’t like it. Predators were something she couldn’t stand, but dark predator’s and their souls made it even worse. For if he attacked Sigrid, there is no rule that he would break.  
Sigrid wasn’t a necessity, therefore her life was default.  
Grey grimaced as she looked to the male before her.  
“Rasput, when was the last time you left. Had a good night at an inn somewhere, took a woman who wanted your warmth, or male, to bed?” Grey interjected with a cocked brow up to the male. He looked up at her with a darkened gaze pointed to her, then to the fire. As if the answer ashamed him. Grey had never felt as if she was never taken care of in any aspect. Grey took care of her health, her lands, and even her chosen, and she found those who would fill what else she needed when it became a present problem. Though she was never ashamed of her life style, she knew it wasn't proper. The freedom alone offended some, not to mention those of whom she had slinked away from in the morning after. Males and females alike, she had never seen it as black and white as Bard and his villagers did.

"It has been some time." He spoke sadly as he poked his meat with the eating knife. "I really have only talked with one this whole time. Smaug was the last being I had a conversation with in the longest of ages. Those who are near know who I am and who it is that I raised. No one wants to share the bed of a man such as myself."

Grey knitted her brows harshly as she looked to Rasput with confusion. "Then why do you not travel further for companionship? You seem so alone here." 

"I am not as free as you are to go where my heart wishes. If I leave I fear for what the drakes and beast like them will do to the weaker beasts around. There are more dangers to the world than Smaug. They sit precariously behind mountain walls and wait." He spoke. He obviously wanted to silence the subject and put the meat in his mouth. Grey allowed him the silence that he craved. From her sack she pulled her parchment to send a letter to Bard about Sigrids safety, when she saw the wooden box. There in a light oak with maple gloss, the box reflected the fire before her eyes.

Grey pulled it out and stared at the small box in her hands. What was this... Only her mind reminded her of the elves and their pompous king with hands made of bliss. She popped open the box and nearly slammed it shut and into the fire. From within were gems of pure starlight. They shimmered like her stars that watched from above. 

A soft touch to them brought the static on her flesh. Lightning and electricity hit her bones and ate at her insides. Though she showed no signs of pain, her groin felt everything. Magic! It lit up with magic as she stared down at them. 

Was it a curse? 

"Enchanted gems?" Rasput inquired as he looked to what she held so tenderly in her hand. 

Grey looked up to him with curiosity, "do you truly think they hold enchantment?"

"I have been around long enough to know enchanted gems when I see them. That way they seem to glow, how you are instantly attracted. There is an enchantment on those and you ought best tuck them back where you found them." Rasput growled as he ripped off his meat like a bear attacking a fresh fish. Grey looked to the gems and put them back into the box. Why would Thranduil gift her enchanted gems. They took shape of a necklace and a bracelet to match. They were meant to be beautiful. 

Oh how beautiful they were. 

"They were a gift." She confessed.

"Whomever gifted you those meant you harm. I can feel it in my bones." Grey couldn't believe the words from Rasput's lips. But then again... What use would he have lying. They finished eating in silence as Kerze fell asleep wrapped around Rasput's hip. 

~`~`~`~`~`~

Thranduil sat upon his throne as he clenched his hands across the antlers that made up his seat. His body trembled with such a fire that Smaug could never contend with him. Thranduil’s anger would force any dragon to sit back and watch in amazement. His icy eyes narrowed down at the elf before him, knelt at the bottom of his throne with chains around his wrists. 

“What do you mean you gave away the gems?” Thranduil hissed. 

“I was bewitched, sir.” The elf begged, but Thranduil could not believe that the elf would give those away. After all he had gone through to retrieve them. How dare he lie to him as such! Would he believe they would not notice that the gems were gone. They were the sole reason that Thranduil sacrificed so many lives at war. A useless war! Thranduil turned his head from the elf and motioned with his hand. 

The sound of a blade slicing through the air, and a thud to finish it off, the body was dragged away. There was blood that his elves quickly cleaned up. Thranduil pursed his lips and stuffed his chin into his palm. If only Legolas had come back. Why hadn’t he come back. Pain eating at him internally, along with anger eating his outsides. The scar that he had hidden so well with magic began to itch. How it had healed better, but still devoured his image in his mind. For no matter how beautiful other’s said he was, all he saw was that image after the war. Dragon fire was nothing to mess with, it was nothing to play with.

If only other people knew the same.

Legolas would have dug to the core of this mystery and told him exactly who was at fault. But Thranduil had to accept his son’s requests. Though Thranduil would never deny his reentry, he would be more blessed and loved if his son ever decided to come back.Only Legolas could do that, he had to decide on his own, or else it wouldn’t be real.

“My king?” He looked up from his hands, down to the elf below, and instantly lit up with a soft smile at the male beside his own kin.

“Bard the bowman.” He smirked, up on his feet and descending down his throne. “Or should I call you King of Dale?” He teased. Bard rolled his eyes but encroached the king. Thranduil threw his arms open as they embraced with a more open, less intimate hug. Then Thranduil saw the smiling children behind Bard and knelt down. They rushed over much like children did towards a new toy, and threw their arms around Thranduil’s shoulders. 

“We missed you!” Tilda giggled as she pressed a generous smooch to the elf’s cheeks. 

“I have missed you too child, You have grown atleast a finger since my departure since Dale.” Thranduil spoke softly as he tucked her long brunette locks behind her ear. She was a beautiful human, and would sparkle as a wife. Thranduil looked up to Bard who seemed to sigh with relief and slouch against the wooden rail of his throne room. The massive room was more than Dale had to offer before one’s eyes. The trees spanned up and opened, as if the cavern they stood in would swallow one whole and there was not another soul to find the body. 

“Why have you graced me with your presence?” Thranduil asked the miniature Bowsman, Bain grinned with vigor it nearly split his face in half. 

“They missed you… and … well…” Bard shrugged as he motioned to the children that bounced at his feet. “You are not too far from the city of Dale, only a half day’s ride, and your elves were quite helpful in finding your kingdom.” Bard spoke as he ruffled Bain’s hair. The boy looked like such an innocent star in the sky, Thranduil could see his love and innocence being good traits for when he would ascend throne as well. 

“Go on children with the other elves and clean up. We’ll have dinner soon.” Thranduil spoke and watched the smaller humans rush to the hands of an elf maiden. She took the children by the hand and lead them down a flight of stairs made of tree branches and stones that were embedded in the intertwining branches. 

“Where is Sigrid?” Thranduil questioned, only to realize that it struck a sore spot within Bard’s body. His hands shook and his face twisted in pain that he tried to hide.

“She left with Grey, as she has always wanted to do. They took off to the north and I have heard not from them.” Bard sighed, “I had half hoped that they may have wandered here into your kingdom if only for a night.” 

Thranduil shook his head softly as he lay a soft hand upon Bard’s shoulder. “Unfortunately not, my friend. I have heard not from them either.” Thranduil spoke as he motioned for Bard to walk with him. He couldn’t lie and say that he had not thought of the steel eyed woman a moment or two. Her body pressed against his, the way she fought back, and fought like her life was on the line. The way she rushed at the enemy and never looked back, it was a brilliant fighting soul in her chest. 

“Sigrid is fine, I know in Grey’s hands, she is safe. I only fear of what Grey will make her into. The girl is still a child, and I wanted her to be like her mother so much. But her mother saw it too… she is too much like her. My first born is a wild, free spirit and wants to see the world from the shoulders of an ice bear.” Bard explained, his hands clasped behind his back as they walked. Thranduil looked over his friend and seemed to ease his anger. As if the children and the human had taken it all from his body. His skin no longer itched. 

“I promise, if they do wander in here… as I hope they will… I will send word of her health and care immediately.” Thranduil promised and Bard nodded in thanks to the king of the elves. Their shoulders back, they continued on their path through the hall.

“So this is really where it all began… of sorts.” Bard spoke up in the silence. The emptiness of the hall carried his voice around him, a butterfly of his own voice that circled him. 

“Yes. Thorin and his band of dwarves stood before me here… before Bilbo aided them. That hobbit may have been the whole reason they survived so far.” Thranduil spoke with a softness as he looked down to Bard. The human seemed to stop and look to his own hands. Thorin’s death and the death of his nephews still ate at his soul. The siege of the city, the whole war was something he had feared would happen, and hoped had all been a nightmare.

“I still remember as if it were this morn, that they fell onto my barge and I helped smuggle them into the town. How they seemed to never die, how luck seemed on his side.” Bard’s voice fell to his feet. Much like his own heart. The way that Bilbo had looked when the hobbit and wizard went on their way home, the look of complete heart break. Poor man would never be the same, and Bard wished with every bone he could have stopped the fall of the line of Durin. 

“Life is precious like that.” Thranduil whispered. 

“I could have-”

Thranduil’s hand snapped to Bard’s shoulder and shook him enough to force his eyes to look into his icy ones. “You could have done nothing more than you have. You are at no fault, and you are as much as you ever could be. Do not forget that, Bowman. My friend, you will not eat yourself alive. No coiling in a corner to devour your tail, you will mourn, but not hate yourself. Your children still see you as the hero, as you truly are.” Bard’s eyes watched Thranduil’s with a softness and a nod. Thranduil softened his grasp, before he left a pat to the man’s shoulder and continued down the path.

“Now come, dinner is soon and I doubt your children want to wait.”


End file.
